Runaway Actress (36 page)

‘I was scared you wouldn’t believe me.’

‘Scared I wouldn’t sleep with you, more like!’

‘No – Connie – I didn’t want to hurt you. I didn’t want you getting embroiled in all this. Sara’s my past and I’m doing my best to sort things out and she’s leaving today – we were just talking about that when you arrived.’

They’d almost reached the bed and breakfast and it was only once they were outside the door that she slowed down and looked at him.

‘Have you
any
idea how many times I’ve been deceived?
Have you?
I’ve spent my life giving my heart to men who think nothing of breaking it! I thought you were different. I
trusted
you!’

‘You can
still
trust me!’

‘But you didn’t tell me the truth.’

‘I know and I’m
so
sorry.’

Connie opened the front door.

‘Don’t go like this –
Connie!
’

She slammed the door behind her.

Her head was spinning with what she’d just heard – from Alastair as well as from Euan.
I have a new father
, she thought to herself, because there was no doubt in her mind that Euan – at least – had been telling her the truth. She’d seen it in his eyes and she’d also held the proof in her hands in the postcards from her mother. So why hadn’t her mother told her? Why had she made Connie believe that Steve Lassiter was her father?

Connie had a feeling she knew why. It was because her mother had left Lochnabrae behind her. It represented her past and, even though the father of her child lived there, it meant nothing to her.

Please don’t try and find us. Making a new life here.

That’s what she’d written and it had been her last words to Euan. Poor man, Connie thought. What had he suffered all this time?

Connie marched up the stairs to her room thankful that Isla was nowhere to be seen.

Euan was a good man, she thought; she’d known that almost from the moment she’d met him. There was a strength of character about him. You knew you could trust somebody like Euan.

And he’s my father
, Connie thought.
Euan Kennedy. Connie Kennedy. My name is Connie Kennedy! I even have my own clan!

Now she thought about it, it was rather strange that she’d taken her mother’s name rather than Steve Lassiter’s. Considering her mother had married him shortly after her birth, it would have been perfectly normal for them to take his name but she hadn’t. Did that have anything to do with her mother’s feelings for Euan? Was she reluctant to name another man’s child after Steve? And did Steve even know that Connie wasn’t his child? It was all so confusing.

Then there was Alastair who had lied to her. Connie was so angry at him and she knew she couldn’t stay in Lochnabrae for a moment longer. She had to leave, and the sooner the better.

Maggie was floating on air as she went to rehearsals that night. Mikey said he was going to make a special effort to join everyone and Maggie couldn’t wait to see him again. They were a couple! He didn’t love her just for her shortbread – he loved her because she was Maggie and she was bursting to tell the whole world.

Nothing – absolutely nothing – was going to dampen her mood that evening. Or so she thought. She was just pulling herself out of a very pleasant daydream involving herself, Mikey and a midsummer swim in the loch when she heard Alastair and, as usual, he didn’t sound in a good mood.

‘Catriona,’ he said. ‘I want you to take over the role of Viola.’

‘But I’m Sebastian,’ Catriona said. ‘I can’t play both twins.’

‘You won’t have to,’ Alastair said. ‘I’ll take over Sebastian for now. We’ll sort it out properly later.’

‘Hang on a minute,’ Maggie said. ‘Where’s Connie?’

Alastair scratched his head. ‘Connie won’t be coming back,’ he said.

‘What do you mean, she’s not coming back?’ Maggie asked.

‘Och, she’s not given it up, has she?’ Sandy asked.

‘Alastair?’ Maggie said. ‘What’s happened?’

‘Nothing’s happened.’

‘Well, something must’ve happened because the last time I saw her, everything was hunky dory,’ Maggie said. ‘What have you said to her?’

‘What’s going on?’ Angus asked.

‘That’s what we’re trying to find out,’ Maggie said.

Alastair looked from left to right as if assessing whether he could make it to an exit before having to explain.

‘Alastair!’

‘All right, all right!’ he shouted. ‘We had a misunderstanding.’

‘Oh God!’ Sandy groaned. ‘You’ve scared her off, haven’t you, lad?’

Maggie’s mouth dropped open. ‘Oh, Alastair! What have you done?’

Alastair shrugged hopelessly. ‘I had a visitor – an old girlfriend – staying at my house and Connie got the wrong idea.’

A terrible silence fell as everyone stared, open-mouthed, at Alastair.

‘The wrong idea? You’re sure it was the wrong idea?’ Maggie said sternly.

‘Of course I’m sure! There’s nothing between me and Sara but – well – Connie wouldn’t listen to me and we had a big fight.’ Alastair looked completely defeated and everyone watched as his shoulders sank heavily.

‘He might not be the only one to have scared her off,’ Euan suddenly said from his seat at the back of the room.

‘What do you mean, Euan?’ Maggie said. ‘What on earth could you have done to upset Connie?’

Euan blew out a huge sigh. ‘You’ll find out sooner or later, I guess,’ he said.

‘Find out what?’

‘That I’m Connie’s father.’

For a moment, nobody spoke. They simply stared at Euan in disbelief.

‘What?’ Alastair said at last.

‘You can’t be serious,’ Sandy said. ‘I mean, she’s a good-looking lass. You can’t have spawned a movie star.’

‘Sandy!’ Maggie shouted. ‘Is it true?’ she asked, looking at Euan.

‘Aye, lass, it’s true.’

‘How long have you known?’ she asked.

‘Shortly after Connie was born. Vanessa sent me a postcard from LA telling me the news.’

‘Jeez!’ Sandy said. ‘A postcard! I’ve never heard the like.’

‘That’s why you set up the fan club, isn’t it?’ Maggie said.

‘Why didn’t you tell us?’ Hamish asked.

‘Because you wouldn’t have believed me,’ Euan said.

‘We don’t believe you now,’ Angus said.

‘Shut up, Angus!’ Maggie said. ‘I’m trying to sort things out here.’

They were all quiet for a moment.

‘And you’ve told her?’ Maggie said.

‘Aye. This morning.’

‘After you called at the B&B?’ Isla said.

Euan nodded. ‘I thought it was time,’ he said.

‘So, that’s why she’s left?’ Isla said.

‘Connie’s left?’ Maggie screamed.

‘Well, she wasn’t at the B&B when I came out,’ Isla said.

‘Did you check her room?’ Maggie asked. ‘Have her things gone?’

‘I don’t know,’ Isla said.

Suddenly, there was a stampede towards the door of the village hall as everyone left for the B&B.

‘If she’s left Lochnabrae,’ Maggie yelled as they all ran down the street, ‘I’m knocking your two heads together then drowning you in the loch.’

‘Aye,’ Angus said, ‘and I will too.’

‘Maybe she just went for a wee walk,’ Hamish said hopefully.

‘I should’ve known something was wrong,’ Isla said.

‘It’s not your fault, Isla,’ Maggie said.

‘It’s nobody’s fault,’ Euan said.

‘Oh, really?’ Maggie said, glaring at him. ‘You’ve probably scared her half to death!’

‘She had a right to know, Maggie,’ Euan said. ‘I did nothing wrong.’

The gang – Bounce included – arrived at the B&B and Isla opened the door.

‘Connie?’ Maggie shouted, taking the stairs two at a time and banging on her bedroom door. ‘Connie? You in there?’

‘Is the door locked?’ Isla asked.

‘No,’ Maggie called back as she dared to open it. ‘Oh, Isla! She’s gone.’

Everyone ran up the stairs and stared into the empty bedroom. Every single possession of Connie’s had vanished, along with their owner.

‘We’ve lost her,’ Sandy said, shaking his head. ‘Well, it was nice while it lasted.’

Maggie felt anger bubbling up inside her. ‘How can you be so calm? She’s left, Sandy! Gone for good!’

‘But she was never going to stay, was she?’ Sandy said. ‘Not here. Not with the likes of us. You didn’t really think she would, did you?’

Tears rose in Maggie’s eyes. She did her best to blink them away but one escaped, splashing onto the highly-patterned carpet.

‘She was happy here,’ Maggie said.

‘Aye,’ Hamish said, ‘until Euan dropped his bomb.’

‘And I messed things up good and proper,’ Alastair said.

Maggie walked into the room and sank down onto the bed and Kirsty and Catriona joined her, all three of them the picture of sorrow.

‘I know it’s stupid of me but I really thought she might stay here,’ Maggie said in a little voice.

‘She didn’t even say goodbye,’ Kirsty said.

‘I’ve just remembered something,’ Isla said. ‘Mr Forsyth popped around this afternoon and left a package for Connie.’

‘What sort of package?’ Maggie asked.

‘I left it in the sitting room,’ Isla said.

Maggie got up off the bed. ‘Can we see it?’

Everyone left the room and returned downstairs.

‘Mikey!’ Maggie screamed as she saw him standing in the hallway.

‘What’s going on?’ he said. ‘I went to the village hall and nobody was there.’

‘Connie’s gone,’ Maggie cried, and they all entered the tiny sitting room together.

Isla put a lamp on and picked up the small padded envelope Mr Forsyth had left.

‘I shouldn’t really open it,’ Isla said.

‘Och, get it open, woman! We forged her autograph so we can open her post,’ Angus said.

‘What is it?’ Mikey asked Maggie, a hand on her shoulder.

‘Mr Forysth left it for Connie,’ Maggie said. ‘It might be some sort of clue to tell us where she is.’

Isla sighed and opened the envelope, her hand diving inside and retrieving a fat silver key.

‘What’s that?’ Sandy asked.

‘A key, you dope!’ Angus said.

‘Well, I can see that but where’s it a key to?’

Maggie took the envelope from Isla and peered inside. ‘There’s a note,’ she said, pulling out a small compliment slip headed ‘Forsyth and Son’.

‘Drawing up the papers now for Rossburn. Owners have given permission for you to have the key early so you can make arrangements re: builders. Good luck! A.S.T Forsyth.

‘Rossburn?’ Euan said.

Maggie looked up from the note. ‘Connie’s bought Rossburn Castle?’

‘No!’ Hamish said. ‘That place is a ruin.’

‘It needs a hell of a lot of money thrown at it,’ Mikey said.

‘Aye, but she has that, hasn’t she?’ Catriona said.

‘Didn’t I tell you?’ Maggie said. ‘Connie was going to live here and you two great oafs went and chased her away!’

‘Now, let’s not jump to conclusions,’ Euan said.

‘But it’s all here!’ Maggie said. ‘The key to the castle. Why else would she buy it?’

‘Maybe it’s a business acquisition,’ Euan said.

Maggie glared at him. ‘She was going to
live
here, Euan. Your daughter was going to stay right here in Lochnabrae.’

‘His daughter?’ Mikey cried.

‘Aye, his daughter!’ Maggie said. ‘She was happy enough here in Lochnabrae to buy a home.’

‘And not just any home,’ Hamish said. ‘She was going to invest in a medieval wreck!’

‘Oh, my!’ Maggie said. ‘We can’t let her leave now. We’ve got to get her back!’

‘But where’s she gone?’ Isla said.

‘She’s taken her bags,’ Alastair said. ‘She must be going back to LA.’

Maggie looked up at him. His face was ashen. He was feeling as desperate as she was, wasn’t he?

‘Come on,’ Alastair said. ‘We’ll take the Landy.’

‘Shouldn’t some of us stay here?’ Isla asked. ‘In case she changes her mind and calls or something?’

‘We won’t all fit in the Landy, anyway,’ Hamish said.

‘Right,’ Alastair said. ‘Who’s coming to the airport with me? Maggie?’

Maggie nodded.

‘Euan, I guess?’ Alastair said.

‘And Mikey,’ Maggie said. ‘I can’t go without Mikey.’

‘Can I come too?’ Hamish said.

Alastair nodded. ‘That’ll about do it,’ he said. ‘So Angus, Sandy and the girls will stay here with Isla?’

Everyone nodded.

‘You too, Bounce,’ Alastair said, and Bounce cocked his head to one side as if wondering if he was going to miss out on some fun. ‘Okay then,’ Alastair said, ‘we’d better get to the airport before she makes the first plane out of here.’

The taxi ride to the airport had been torturous. Connie had wanted to take one last look at Rossburn Castle but the taxi driver had told her that would add ten miles to the journey and she might miss her plane. What am I to do with the old place? Connie wondered as they approached the outskirts of Glasgow. It was too late to back out of the sale now and, besides, she wouldn’t want to mess dear Mr Forsyth around. Besides, there was a part of her that still wanted to own the old place if only for a brief time.

Of course, the easiest option would be to buy it, do it up and sell it on but the thought of that pained Connie. As long as the castle was hers then a little bit of her would remain in Lochnabrae and, even though things hadn’t worked out quite as she’d expected there, she couldn’t bear to cut all her ties just yet.

How horrible it had been to sneak away like that, she thought. Her sense of guilt was overwhelming. She’d owed so many goodbyes – to Isla for being like a mother to her, and to Maggie for being such a good friend and confidante. For a moment, she thought about how she’d dressed up as Ralph, and laughed out loud at the memory of the naughty kiss in the pub.

‘You okay?’ the taxi driver asked.

‘Yes,’ Connie said, ‘I’m okay.’ Only she wasn’t because her heart was breaking as she remembered the fun she’d had and the people she’d left behind. She thought of Angry Angus and his obsession with westerns. She thought of cheeky Sandy and the sweet Kendrick sisters. She remembered Hamish and Mikey. Could anyone ask for better friends? And then she remembered Euan and Alastair. The two men in her life.